School will be out soon, and Max and I are both looking forward to warmer temps, longer hours of daylight, and more time to read. We both carry books wherever our journeys lead us, and we hope you’ll be packing a copy of Max and Her Stacks in your own travels.
This month I’ll be referencing Dolly Parton, Henry Winkler, and Dan Gutman. They have all played important roles in Max’s reading journey.
Dolly Parton, while a legend in the field of country music, is also known for her philanthropic work efforts encouraging children to read with her Imagination Library.
”After launching in 1995, the program grew quickly. First books were only distributed to children living in Sevier County, Tennessee, where Dolly grew up. It became such a success that in 2000 a national replication effort was underway. By 2003, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library had mailed one million books. It would prove to be the first of many millions of books sent to children around the world.”
Max often goes “back through the years wanderin’ once again” to those months in her early childhood when she received a package from that Imagination Library.
Two of Max’s favorites were Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney and The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, both of which her mama loved almost as much as Max!
I introduced the works of Henry Winkler to Max after meeting him on my personal road trip to a writers’ conference in Kentucky. YES, I’VE MET THE FONZ!
Little did I know that the cute kid from Happy Days was a writer. I was surprised to learn that Henry Winkler had struggled with reading as a child because of his dyslexia. Because of his difficulties with spelling and typing, he collaborated with Lin Oliver, founder of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, to create the Hank Zipzer series, books that both Max and her brother love.
Winkler says of his work with Oliver, “Both of us knew very early that this was a path we were going to follow.”
After hearing Winkler share his personal struggles with reading, I started recommending his Zipzer series to kids who said they didn’t like books. The humor in these books made them a hit, and among other things, they taught Max how to hug an elephant!
To be honest, I don’t remember how I also discovered the humorous books of Dan Gutman. Much like Henry Winkler’s books, his Weird School series can provide a perfect path for reluctant readers to discover the pleasure of reading. Many kids, like Max’s brother, can relate to A.J., the main character introduced in Miss Daisy Is Crazy.
At the beginning of the book, A.J. tells his teacher that he hates school and he hates reading. With a great deal of verbal and situational irony, Miss Daisy cleverly teaches these kids without their realizing they’ve been taught. Before long, A. J admits, “I read a book about frogs, and I don’t even care anything about frogs.” These books can help hook kids on reading!
Speaking of getting hooked on books, my personal recommendation, which I am currently reading and intentionally started on the first day of #NationalLibraryWeek, is Jennifer Moorman’s The Charmed Library. This book, according to Susan Meissner, another one of my favorite authors, is “a whimsical, heartfelt escape that honors the emotional power of great stories.” It definitely has me hooked!
I would also recommend Laura Ashwood’s A Life Rewritten. I read it in three days! And that should tell you something because you know I’m a slow reader. “A heart-stirring novel of betrayal, resilience, and the healing power of love,” this book was recommended by my author friend Janice Lynn, and it did not disappoint!
Finally, for your nighttime reading ritual with the kiddos, I’d like to recommend Our Daily Bread for Kids by Crystal Bowman and Teri McKinley. In the devo entitled “A Narrow Road,” the writers explain that following Jesus is not always easy because the path is sometimes narrow and tricky.
“But when we choose to accept God’s forgiveness, we become His children. He gives us the strength to follow Him. No matter how hard the path of following Jesus may seem, it’s worth it! Just let Him lead you one step at a time.”
Yes! That’s great advice for all of us, no matter the age!
“Books are the plane and the train and the road. They are the destination and the journey. They are home.”–Anna Quindlen
“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”—St. Augustine
Joshua 1:8; 2 Timothy 4:13; Psalm 121:7-8; Proverbs 3:23-26
